Electric water-heater



C. M. BOSWORTH AND A. G. BOESEL. ELECTRIC WATER HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7, I92v0. 1,375,357, Patented Apr. 19,1921.

rLLllf UNITED STATES YIixrElSJ'r OFFICE.

cYEUs rr. BoswoB'rH, or LAKEWOOD, AND ALoYsiiis e. BoEsEn or CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, omo. l

ELECTRIC WATER-HEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented API- 19, 1921.A

Application mea February 7, 1920. serial No. 356,896.

T0 all whom z't may concern.'

Be it known that we, CYRUs `M. Boswonrri and ALoYsiUs Gr.v BoEsEL, both citizens of the United States, and residents of Lakewood, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, and Cleveland Heights, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, respectively, have jointly invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Water-Heaters, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which we have contemplated that principle, so as to'distinguish it from other inventions.

The present invention relates, as indicated, to water heaters, and more particularly tO one in which the water is heated by means of a heating electric Vresistance element installed in the water circuit between the supply andthe point of use, Or between such supply and a suitable storage tank. In the former case the heaterwill be installed inthe same fashion as are so-,called instantaneous water heaters in which gas is used, while inthel latter case the heater 'will be attached to the usual water tank in the same fashion as the usual gas heater is attached. The object of the invention is to provide a compact heater in which there is a minimum opportunity for loss of energy by reason of unnecessary radiation, and in which the heat-ing electric resistance element is` mounted so as to ,be absolutely free from Vdanger of shOrt-circuiting through water leakagereaching same, To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawings .and thefollowing description setting forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting,

however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the tion may be used.V v

In said annexed drawings Figure lV is a plan view of our improved heater; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is anend elevation thereof, withV parts shown invertical section; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a detached unit showinvening a modified form of construction; 'Fig'. 5 ,is a central vertical section of such modified unit; and Fig. 46 isa side velevation of still another, modified form of construction.

It is not considered necessary to show our heater in conjunction with a water tank or other accessories of supply or use. It will further be understood that such heater may be suitably incased, if desired, so as to further conserve the heat by preventing unnecessary radiation.-

Referring, then, first of all, to the construction shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3, the heater will be seen to comprise two similar water containing and heating members in the form of elongated, flat, hollow bodies l. The shape of these bodies in side elevation need not be vertically oblong with rounded corners, as. shown in Fig. 2, but may be longitudinally elongated or otherwise modified as desired. Adjacent their respective ends, these bodies are formed with water inlet and outlet openings 2 and 3, such'openings-being preferably lo'cat'ed'in the oppositely disposed fiat faces of the bodies when f may be utilized, for example anV element'of the -type used invar'ious electrically heated utensils or implements, such as sad-irons, for example. Branched connections 5 and 6 are fitted over the respective ends of the Vassembled bodies so that free communication may be had through such branches with the hollow interiors of said bodies, with the result that the water entering rthrough connection 5 divides in its flow, part vpassing. throughV the one body and-'part through Vthe other, and is then again collected and Ydischarged through connection 6. Ahe arms or branches of said connections 5 and 6 haveitheir inner faces machined to tightly t over the corre- Y sponding ends of the bodies, Asuitable gaskets 7' being interposedV to insurel a water-tight joint. It will be understood 'that the arms f possess a ,certain V.amount Vof resiliency whereby they may be sprung a trifle in thus fitting them in place.-h When thus-in place, set'screws 8 serve tosecure said branches or arms; and thus the corresponding Vconnections 5and 6, firmly to the assembled heater imitsorhollowbodies 1. i

'effect of which will be obvious.

The inlet connection 5 is desirably en-IV larged to provide a housing 10 in which is mounted a thermostatic coil v11, said coil freely contacting with the inlowing water or other liquid. rotate a spindle 12 that projects through the wall of the housing and carries a lever arm 13 disposed with its outer end in position to engage a finger 14 that'depends from a switch boX 15. Said arm 13, it will accordingly be seen, is adapted tothrow the switch in one direction, c. g. on, when it rotates far enough in a clockwise direction, and conversely to throwsuch switch ofi' when it rotates in a counter-clockwise direction. It is not considered necessary to show the electric circuit in connection with the foregoing switch boX, whereby the current `is alternately caused to pass through the heating resistance element or resistor 4, or cut out.

In the modified construction shown in Figs. 4 and 5, we utilize a substantially similar flat hollow body 2O as the water heating unit, said body having water inlet and outlet openings 21 and 22 'in its one flat face, as before.,v Instead, however, of an entirely separate' heating electric resistance unit, the other fiat face 23 ofy said hollow body is recessed to providea shallow depression in which a resistance wire 24: is disposed, said wire being embedded in an insulating enamel so as to be kept out of Contact with the body. A unit of this sort may be employed singly if desired, or two such units canbe clamped together with vthe recessed faces 23 juxtaposed' in a fashion similar to that in which the previouslyY described bodies 1 are' clamped together by means of branched connectionsi* In the construction shown in F ig. 6, we show the adaptation of ourheater to units of larger size. Thus vthe unit 25 here illustrated, while still a flat hollow body, is longitudinally elongated, and the water inlet and-outlet openings 26 and 27 are located at diagonally opposite corners ofsaid body. Furthermore, in'order to provide a devious course for the 'water or other .liquid being heated, as it passes through Vsaid hollow body, 'a series of interrupted' or staggered partitions 28 are provided in said body,rthe In order to supplement the effect of the branched connections 29 and 30 in holding a pair of such bodies together', additional 'clamping means, in the form of bolts 31 passing through ears 32, adjacent the remaining'corners of the-body, may be'utilized.

In. each of the several constructions of our improved water heater hereinbefore described,fitv will beuobserv'ed that the water inletand outlet openings nowhere intersect the face of the-hollow bodyfconstituting the vwater heating unit, against which the'heating electric resistance is applied, Accord- Such coilv is connected to ingly, even should thewjoint between the connections, whereby the water is supplied j 'to and,` conducted away from the heater,

show a'disposition to leak, there is no danvger of such water coming into Contact with the resistor, and thus short-circuiting the same. We have found that this is a very important consideration in electric water heaters of the typeI inhand, the most stable form of insulating material known tending to disintegrate or at least become porous when subjected to the action of hot water. The heater as a whole presents a neat and compact appearance, and occupies, as a matter of fact, lessroom than a gas heater of corresponding capacity', and where a thermostatic control device is utilized, as described, the' operation becomes entirely automatic, whether the heater be installed directly in the supply line or in conjunction with a tank orreservoir. Y

f Other modes of applying the principle of our invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards'the mechanism herein' disclosed, provided .the means stated by any ofthe following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

7e therefore particularly point out distinctly claimY as our I invention 1. A unit for an electric water heater coinprisingfa flat hollow body providedwith water inlet and outlet openings, and a heating electric :resistance element applied to one 'face ofsaid Tbody, such openings nowhere intersecting such face. Y

2. A unit for. an electric water heater comprising' agliat` hollow body provided with water inlet and outlet openings, and a heating electric resistance' element applied to one face of said body, such openings 'beand . ing located in the opposite face of said body.

' 3.*In a device of the character described, the combinationV of two flat hollow bodies respectively provided with waterl inlet and outlet yopenings andv arranged with two flat faces juxtaposed, means adapted toY clamp said bodies together under pressure'and a heating ,electric resistance interposed between Asuch faces, such openings nowhere intersecting such faces. Y

lf In a device of the character described, the combination ofA twoliat 'hollow bodies respectively provided with water inlet and outlet openings and arranged with two flatk faces juxtaposed,"means adapted to` clamp saidbodies together under pressure and a ,heating electric 'resistance interposed between suchl faces, such openings being lo-A cated in 'the outwardly disposed faces, of

4said bodies, respectively.'

Y5F. In a device of the character described, thel combination of twov elongated a't hollow bodies respectivelyprovided With water inlet and outlet'openings and arranged with iso 'l faces of said bodies adjacent the respective ends thereof.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of two elongated flat hollow bodies respectively7 provided with water inlet and outlet openings and held together with two flat faces juxtaposed, a h eating electric resistance element interposed between such faces, such openings being located in the outwardly disposed faces of said bodies adjacent the respective ends thereof, and a branched connection cominunicating with each such pair of openings.

'7. In a device of the character described, the combination of two elongated fiat hollow bodies respectively provided with water inlet and outlet openings and held together with two fiat faces juxtaposed, a heating electric resistance element interposed between such faces, such openings being lov cated in the outwardly disposed faces of Y said bodies adjacent the respective ends thereof, and a branched connection communicating with each such pair of openings, the branches of such connections serving to clamp said bodies together.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of two elongated flat hollow bodies respectively provided with water inlet and outlet openings and held together with two fiat faces juxtaposed, a heating electric resistance element interposed between such faces, such openings being lo- Y cated in the outwardly disposed faces of` said bodies adjacent the respective ends thereof, and interrupted partitions in'said bodies forming a devious course for water passing therethrough. Y

Signed by me, this 4th day of February,

CYRUS M. BOSVVORTII.

Signed by me, this 5th day of February, 1920.

ALOYSIUS G. BOESEL. 

